1. Since the 1970s, the average U.S. home has grown by 80%. Yet Americans face a “storage crisis,” according to UCLA researchers. Source

2. The self-storage industry is only 35 years old. It took 25 years for the first billion square feet of storage space to be built. The second billion square feet was built in just 8 years. Self-storage units cover 72 square miles, the area of Manhattan and San Francisco combined. Source Source 2

3. 7 square feet of commercial storage space now exists for every American. 1 in 11 households rents storage space—1 million more households than two years ago. Source

4. 4 in 5 new homes have multicar garages. Most two-car garages have one or no car in them. 75% of L.A. garages are used in ways that preclude any parking. Source

5. More than 70% of Americans are routinely unable to find matching lids for their 15-plus food-storage containers. Source

6. Last year, Americans spent $7 billion on organizational products for their homes, closets, and garages. Source

7. Americans spend approximately 55 minutes every day searching for items. Source

8. We wear 20% of the clothes we own 80% of the time. The rest hangs there, just in case. Source

9. Cleaning professionals say that getting rid of excess clutter would eliminate 40% of the housework in an average home. Source

10. 80% of what we file never gets looked at again. Source